It started when I noticed everyone has red eyes
by Imma true Alaska Girl
Summary: As an 8th grader, her life ended. As a freshman, bricks were being laid. As a sophomore, life began again. As a junior, she froze. But all along, he had been there, begging her to let him help. She refused. Now, as life starts to build a foundation on the random inspections and bathroom stalls, will it hold? Or is the constant struggle to be normal all in vain? Pain? Or just pride?
1. Algebra

Ally walked through the halls, ponytail swinging from left to right, on her way to math class. The freshman was in Algebra 2, an advanced class for her class at her school. It was a class full of juniors and sophomores. She made eye contact with the people racing through the halls, the passing periods only three minutes compared to last year's five. There was already an epidemic of tardies. No one could make it from one end of the building, to their locker, and then back across the building with all their books and folders and binders along with the required student handbook that was to be carried at all times in case of random hall inspection where everyone in the hall way would stop what they were doing and wait for the safety monitor to come and take them to their lockers so that every locker was inspected. Sometimes entire classes were missed for the inspections, but after last year, no one was upset. Everyone understood why: all the teachers had adjusted their schedules so that they would always have time after school for kids who didn't make it to class.

Ally smiled when she saw a familiar blonde pressed against a locker with a female pressed against him. How he did that and still made it with the barbaric passing periods was beyond her. But, nonetheless, she remained invisible to him, too scared to actually talk to the boy, who was very talkative on the bus, that she had gone to school with since they were seven years old and in the third grade at school. She just pretended he knew who she was at school when in reality, he acted like she was a stranger when anyone but Trish was around. If it was just the three of them, they had intellectual debates about teachers that were laid off, or when the kids at school were talking about the recent marijuana legalization. After years and years of these debates, they had realized they had very similar views on things and for the most part, the arguments were between themselves and the school mates that weren't actually there.

Ally reached the classroom and sat at her usually table. All alone, but in the middle of everything. It was the only place where every place in the classroom could be seen. She faced the windows, relying on the bulletproof and locked door to cover that side.

She rolled her eyes when she heard the giggling of the four cheerleaders in that class as they walked in doing hand gestures that slightly resembled cheers. Cassidy was in the middle. She wasn't quite the top dog, but she was up there. Ally averted her eyes. She couldn't stand to look at that.

Cassidy played the viola in Ally orchestra. When they had met, Ally in the 7th grade and Cassidy in the 8th, Ally had been the first one to welcome her. Cassidy wasn't mean to her by all means, but Ally couldn't stand that the only time she acknowledged her existence was in orchestra. Ally was the first chair violinist. She took that spot seriously. She took the blame if her section messed up and worked with the two other first violins to get their parts down. In an orchestra of only 13 players in all, it was crucial that every person mastered their parts.

Ally looked down at her bright green folder that held all her homework for every class. On the very front, it had _Allyson Dawson_ written calligraphically. Totally useless to anything pertaining to school, but fun nonetheless. Pulling her math homework out of the first pocket, she went over it. Finding errors that she had made the night before. Her teacher, Mrs. Willis, came over with a scrunched up face that made Ally think she might have ran into a wall, like in the cartoons.

"Where's your homework?" She said in a condescending tone.

Ally pointed to the six sheets of quadratic functions and graphs.

Mrs. Willis nodded and moved on, checking each person's homework, marking a few off for F's in the grade book. When she was done, she walked up the projector and sat down to go over the problems people had issues with.

Ally looked at the clock. The hour hand was pointing to the _square root of 144._ Only an hour a fifteen minutes to go.

(Line Break)

Ally practically ran out of that class when the bell rang. It was lunch, the period where her and her friend caught up with their reading, which consisted of them sitting next to each other while silently reading the same book. She and December made a good pair.

December was a military brat. She had lived in Turkey, Arizona, South Carolina, and probably other laces too. She was the nicest person you could every meet and people often asked her what she saw in Ally because Ally was slightly… anti-social and standoffish. December would ask them why they asked her. They would usually reply with a, "She's just so weird and mean."

December would then tilt her head, after of course giving them the benefit of the doubt, before saying, "It's obviously something I don't see in you."

And then she would walk away. If you were Ally's enemy, you were December, and vice versa. Ally had never had a friend like that until freshman year had started. December had arrived halfway through 8th grade year, but Ally hadn't liked her peppy happy self. It had gotten on her nerves. But now, it made her smile too. It made her happy to be around someone that happy.

She met up with a smiling December before walking into the Spanish room where they got seats against the wall and sat down with their books. They made eye contact and imagined the cheering of a full stadium as they got ready.

"Ready."

"Set."

"Go!"

They set off, ready to see who could get farther in their books by the end of the lunch period, which was only thirty minutes long. After this, Ally was going to have to go stress about her sections lack of ability to play Greensleaves Variant.

They heard someone clear their throat. They waited the permitted ten seconds to mark their spots to officially pause to contest. The closed their books at precisely the same time before even glancing at the intruder.

And low and behold, there stood Mrs. Julio, the Spanish teacher, with Austin Moon standing awkwardly next to her.

"Ally, would you be willing to give up you next few lunch periods to tutor him. He can't speak a lick of Spanish to save his life and finals are in two weeks."

Ally looked at December, who was silently giggling at Ally's dilemma.

"Uh, sure. When do I start?"

Austin looked angry that she accepted and also downright embarrassed. They had been the competing brains since elementary school.

"Now, it you can."

Ally couldn't. She was too busy reading.

"Yeah. We had just finished," December spoke up. Ally glared at her. "I'll be in the library if anyone needs me."

_WAIT! _ Ally was internally screaming, and that was saying something seeing as she had died a little inside when she had seen his face.

December ran out of the room, laughing hysterically in the hallway as soon as she was passed the door.

Mrs. Julio awkwardly tapped her legs before prancing back to her favorite kids that ate in there every day.

Austin sat down next to her. She could tell how embarrassed he was. He had always bragged about his grade while all she could say was she was better than him at math. He was one grade behind her. But that had been it. This was a whole new concept.

She couldn't meet his eyes, trying to get the image of him and that girl snogging each other.

They had known each other for seven years. They had taken snow machine ride together. They had gone swimming together. They had ran through the sprinkler in the lawn and thrown water balloons at each other's faces. They had busted their now senior siblings when they had been upstairs in the garage doing "homework." They had been together when their parents explained to them that they really were doing homework, that it was just their over active imaginations working. They were their when his brother told her sister he loved her. They had been together when their siblings had had the brutal break up that left them both reeling. They had been best friends when her parents nearly got a divorce.

But then the got into 7th grade. And then, all of a sudden, he couldn't even look at her. It was like she had gotten some disease.

Ally had never been… skinny. She was well over 180 pounds by her freshman year but had always felt confident in herself. But she had seen him look at her in disgust before. And then came the boobs. She was a size DD and that had not gone unnoticed by him. It was a subconscious thing, when he would stare that is. She had grown used to it.

They had started talking to each other again freshman year until she had gotten pissed at him for his staring. She told him to just stop talking to her if he was going to do that. He denied everything.

But they both knew it was true.

They hadn't talked to each other since she was his secret Santa for something the freshman class student council had come up with.

Now, it was awkward. Beyond awkward.

"So. What do you need help with?"

He scoffed at her, not even sparing her a side long look when he said, "Bowling. I can't seem to shake hands with the head pin. Maybe, it's because I'm too _distracted_."

It was a dig at her. "I thought we were over that."

He shook his head. "Why would I check you out, Ally? You're like the closest thing I have to a sister. In case you didn't notice, I am not a fan of incest."

Ally took a deep breathe. She knew he didn't mean it to sound like that. He wasn't very good at choosing his words. "So, pray tell me, why is it that we can talk like normal on the bus, but as soon as you know someone is within hearing distance, you can't say anything but that I am an ugly braniac."

Austin opened his mouth to reply with some, probably, witty comment that would leave her crying in the bathroom. He didn't know he had left her like that before. He was just naïve. She hadn't told. He would be crushed and then go become a monk to try and gain forgiveness. Because that is the kind of person he was. He was a tough nut on the outside, but he was nothing but peanut butter inside. He would be left flailing if he knew all the times he had made her cry.

She silenced him with a hand. "I need to go." He voice broke at the end. _Damn it. _ She took off at a run to the bathroom. She went into the handicapped stall and slid down the wall, already in tears.

_How quickly her life had fallen apart after last year._


	2. Austin Moon

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**I am sorry about the content of this story. It is a very serious matter that I am basing this story after. If you are uncomfortable at all, please tell me. It too many people are against or offended by this, I WILL take it down. I don't want to be offending people. PLEASE share you opinion on this. **

Chapter 2: Austin Moon

Ally walked outside towards the bus that would take her home. There was three feet of snow on the ground, but luckily the school kept their sidewalks plowed. Ally heaved her backpack higher on her back so she could readjust her violin. It was all very heavy.

The cold, dry air bit at her nose. Her throat felt like it froze with each breath of the -50 air. She made it to the bus quickly. She found her seat right by the emergency exit window and sat, putting on her hat and thick gloves right after. She was shivering by the time Austin got on the bus and sat down. He sat right across from her, wedging himself in-between his backpack and the window. The bus driver did a quick head count and checked the time. 2:20. Five minutes after school ended.

The bus driver took off, Trish immediately trying to stir up conversation with the two of them, but after their fight, neither wanted to talk to the other.

"Ally!" Trish yelled impatiently.

Ally rolled her eyes at her reflection and looked over at Trish, who was waving a piece of paper in Ally's face.

"I have a phone number for you!"

Ally shook her head. "Trish, I have you number."

"Oh. But no, it is a guy's number."

This peaked Ally's interest. She scooted across her seat to the isle, where she could talk to Trish without her yelling.

She saw Austin looking over at them with eyebrows raised, but as soon as he noticed her noticing him, he looked back down at his phone.

"Whose is it?" Ally asked.

Trish smirked. "Well, you'll just have to call and find out."

"Trish! Whose number is it?!"

"I'm not telling."

Ally rolled her eyes and was about to scoot back over to her little nest of warmth when Trish's hand shoved the piece of paper into Ally's bra area. Ally didn't react. She just moved over and bundled up again.

She saw Austin glaring at her chest out of her peripheral vision. _Well, at least this time he isn't staring. _

Ally sat and looked out the frosted window. Every snow covered tree waved at her as she passed by in the yellow prison, begging her to come and stand tall with them. Begging her to be… her.

Ally missed the times when they used to run around, dancing with the trees. Shaking of their blanket of snow so that they could see the sun. She missed when her best friend was just a stop sign away.

She felt the bus come to a sliding halt, its wheel gliding across the ice at an alarming rate. She watched had her road flew by, sighing because she knew the walk home would be longer now. When the bus came to s complete stop, she and Austin rushed off the bus so they could each get to their homes faster. They took off at full sprints down towards their roads. He would turn right, and her left. When she was about to swing around the snow covered stop sign, she heard a loud, "Ally, Wait."

She was taken aback in surprise when Austin yelled her name. She slipped and fell on her butt, but kept on sliding. The embarrassment she felt was soon forgotten when she remembered him doing the same thing only a few days ago.

She stood up, holding her lower back which was in excruciating pain, to glare at him in all his bratty glory.

"Yes, Austin?"

Austin awkwardly shivered about five feet away from her. "Are you going to call him?"

Ally scrunched her eyes in confusion. "Who?"

"The guy. Who gave you his number? Are you going to call him?"

Ally shook her head no. "He should've given it to me himself."

Austin nodded. And just like clockwork, they turned at the same time and started to walk to their separate houses.

(Line break)

Ally looked at the glass of water. It was sitting there, taunting her. It wasn't too heavy, and her father's face wasn't too far away. She could easily do it and not be blamed.

She watched the water in the glass start to jiggle as she pulled the fishing line attached to it. So much preparation for such a tiny prank. It would be so easy.

The glass started to move towards her father. Ever so slightly.

But then she grabbed it to take a drink. There was no point in risking it.

(Line break)

Ally walked through the halls, heading to her math class. Her ponytail was swinging from side to side, her books weighing her down. She saw the familiar blonde mop pressed against a locker and she smiled.

At least she knew it hadn't upset him too much. She turned away so she could pretend Austin had privacy, but when she heard her name being yelled out and then a hand on her wrist, she looked back again. Austin was panting and red in the face, his lips red and slightly swollen.

He must not have known he looked like that or he wouldn't have gone anywhere near Ally. He had learned his lesson the first time he tried that.

When she got over the initial shock of him talking to her at school, she questioned him on what he wanted. "I was hoping we could study Spanish in the library. Maybe meet up their after class?"

Ally looked around his should at the girl who was still panting by the lockers. "Are you sure you won't be busy?"

She turned and walked away. That was it.

(Line break)

Ally awkwardly sat in the library, waiting for Austin. It was very likely he was caught in an inspection. She wouldn't be surprised if he didn't make it at all. The inspections take forever.

She looked at the book in front of her, pretending to read it. In reality, her eyes were on Mr. Helirick's toupee, which was giving him many trouble. It would mysteriously fall of and then when he would reach down to get it, it would slither away from him. Ally was giggling and trying hard not to lose control of the little string attached to the piece of hair.

"Ally?"

Ally jumped out of her skin, leaving the toupee to fend for itself, and turned to see Austin looking at her weird.

_Damn. Talk about not being careful. _

"Oh, my, Austin. I thought you were caught in an inspection. Sorry. I would've had stuff ready.

Austin sat down across from her. "It's fine. What was up with Mr. Helrick's toupee? Is it possessed or something?"

Ally smiled. "I don't know. But it sure was funny."

Austin squinted his eyes at her, as if trying to figure out if that was a lie or a fact.

"So! Spanish!"

(Line Break)

_It all started with a gun shot. It all started with the teachers locking doors and getting kids huddled in the corner. It started when Ally's life ended. _

_She had been in the bathroom when it all erupted. She had just finish washing her hands when the first ear splitting noise took off. It was a gun, no doubt. It sounded like a .22 rifle. _

_The fear washed over her, but didn't cloud her judgment. She went into the handicapped bathroom stall and locked it. She slid in the far corner and sat, in dead silence, until she heard the bathroom door open. That was the last time she breathed as a normal, 8__th__ grade Ally Dawson. _

_She held her breathe, her heartbeat all of a sudden sounding louder than the guns that had been shooting just a second ago. The stall flew open and she met the eyes of Dallas. They had gone to school together since they were five. He was her first kiss and vice versa. He knew everything about her, and her him. When their eyes met, Dallas grew pale. He lowered the gun, but Ally still didn't breathe. _

_"Dude, what's taking you so long?" Dallas was now dead white. He tried to close the bathroom stall door before his…partner got there, but he didn't make it. The boy, who looked to be about 9 ft tall at the time, didn't even glance twice. He lifted his gun, and Ally felt the tearing pain in her side. Dallas screamed and rushed to her side. _

_"Ally. Ally! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Her eyes had started to close, her world was fading to black. More from the fear and absolute terror than the blood lose. "What have I done?," was the last thing she heard until she woke up in the hospital. _

_There was and IV hooked up to her left arm, and she had an excruciating pain in her left side. Ally opened her eyes to look at her surroundings. She looked out the window and noticed the bright sun. Mid-day? I couldn't be. She was getting ready to go to the last thirty minutes of 6__th__ period. She was about to go home. She turned her head to the right and saw her sleeping parents. They both had bags under their eyes. Ally saw a clock. It read 9'Oclock. _

_Ally tried to not think about what had happened. Tried to pretend it was a nasty dream. Tried to pretend the splitting pain in her side was just a cramp. She tried and tried to pretend. _

_But the look on Dallas's face was burned into her retinas. She would never be able to forget the pain in them, or the horror when she got shot. _

_She silently sat up, squeaking in pain as she did do. She saw something that made her smile, though. _

_There, in all her angry glory, was Mrs. Mimi Moon. She was at the nurse's station, demanding to know where Ally Dawson was. Ally tried to hold in a laugh that they were so close she could she her out the door. _

_Next to Mimi was Austin. Ally smiled brightly. She was so happy to see him. She hadn't seen him since his family went on a trip to Hawaii. They had gone over Christmas break and then some. Austin was holding wild flowers in his hands behind his back, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. _

_You could smell how awkward he was feeling. Austin must have felt her watching him, because he turned his head. His face lit up when he saw her. _

_Ally was confused. They were supposed to be gone till next month. She wondered why they were back so fast. _

_Austin trip and practically did a cartoon running in place because he was trying to take off towards her so fast. When he finally got traction, he was at her side in seconds, with nurses yelling after him he wasn't allowed to go in there. _

_He didn't say anything as he sat down on the bed and hugged her very lightly. _

_"I need an update. How long have I been out?"_

_Austin didn't let go over her as he said, "You've been asleep for a week. You were under the knife for twelve hours. I don't know anymore. I am so sorry, Als."_

_"Was anyone else at school hurt?"_

_Austin shook his head against her shoulder. "Dallas held the other guy at gunpoint until the police came to get them. They are both scheduled for a court trial in two weeks." Austin breathed out deeply into her hair and she felt him lightly shaking. "As much as I hated the guy and his stupid crush on you, I am so glad he was so in love with you."_

_"Austin, Dallas didn't like me. Or, doesn't I should say."_

_"Austin Monica Moon, if you ever take off on me like that again, for Ally or otherwise, I will tan your hide till the cows come home, do you understand me?!" Mimi's voice rung out, the nurses still trying to get them out. _

_Ally's parents woke with a jolt and a wild look in their eyes, but relaxed when they saw Austin and Ally clinging to each other. _

_"Mimi, let's go talk in the hallway." Ally's parent ushered her out of the room, no doubt trying to get Austin and Ally alone so they could 'fall in love and have kids, and then grow old together.' _

_Austin rolled his eyes after them. "Sometimes I worry about them."_

_"Yeah," Ally replied, a though coming to mind again. "Why are you guys back so early? Weren't you supposed to be gone till the 1__st__?"_

_Austin flushed a bright red color and nodded. "We came back because of what happened. My mom really wanted to see you."_

_Ally raised her eyebrows at him. "Oh, and you didn't? I supposed that's why you sprint over here as soon as you saw me?"_

_Austin laughed in embarrassment. "Yeah, well. We're friend, I was worried. Big deal."_

_Austin let go of her finally and sat down in the chair next to the bed. "So, how was Hawaii?"_

_Austin shrugged. "It was eh. I mean, it was fun learning how to surf, but other than that, I would've much rather been home with you and Trish."_

_"Okay, now talk as if it was me that had gone."_

_"Right. There was a really cool aquarium, and we went snorkeling. That was so cool. You could see all the different kinds of coral. There were so many fish in the reefs. We even saw a sun shark. It was really, really cool. And the peanuts on the plane," Austin sarcastically held his hand up and signaled a 'perfect.'_

_Ally rolled her eyes at him. He was such a brat sometime. _

_"How's Trish? Is she okay? I can only imagine how horrible this was for her. We were just in an argument before I was in the bathroom. She must feel terrible."_

_Austin scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well, I don't really know. Trish has been going about business as usual. People are waiting for her to freak out, but there hasn't been anything."_

_Ally nodded. She tried not to let it get to her. Trish was very unfeeling sometime. Ally just though that she would at least have tried to call. _

_Ally sat there. Austin completely left her mind at that moment. She tried to fathom what she would have done had it been Trish. Ally saw herself climbing in the ambulance and sitting in the hospital for a week. _

_Ally realized she had been silent for a while when she saw Austin staring at her, with foggy eyes. _

_"Austin, are you okay? What's wrong?"_

_Austin shook his head. "Nothing." She didn't believe him. His voice cracked. He was about to cry. _

_"Oh, Austin. What is it? You can tell me." Ally opened her arms, ignoring the excruciating pain in her side. _

_Austin dove into her, causing the knives in her side to sharpen. He didn't even notice her wince. "I was so scared when my mom told me. I thought… we didn't know what to think. We were so scared. I am so glad to see you smiling." Austin buried his face in her hair, and she felt him inhale deeply and then hold his breathe. When he pulled away, he was bright red. He must have smelled her subconsciously and realized it too late. _

_"Austin, I am right here. Calm down."_

_Austin smiled and sniffed his nose. He nodded and smiled at her. _

_Their eyes met and everything froze. Austin saw the pain she was in. He saw how hurt she was that Trish didn't come. He saw the trauma the experience had inflicted on her. He saw the unshed tears of pain in her eyes. _

_She saw his fear. His absolute terror. She saw his tears drying on his cheeks. She saw his understanding and his friendship. _

_They heard someone clear their throat. They tore themselves from each other's eyes to see a nurse uncomfortable shifting from one foot to the other. _

_"Visiting hours are over for Ally. I need you to leave please."_

_Austin nodded and looked back at Ally. _

_He stood up and started walking out. She mouthed a 'bye' when he turned around. _

_Her eyes widened when he mouthed 'love you' back at her. He smiled and walked out. _

(Line Break)

"Do you want to start with vocab or conjugations?"

Austin shrugged. Ally sighed. This was going to be a long period.

"Neither?"

Ally sighed again.

"Fine."

Austin looked surprised with her and she shrugged at him.

"What? It's not my grade that will go down the drain. It isn't me that isn't going to get accepted into Yale. It isn't me that Mrs. Helricks is going to murder." Ally picked up her books slowly and deliberately. In truth, she was getting a butt load of extra credit for this. "It isn't me that is going to end up with detention. Good luck with that though." Ally had finished picking up her books by then and she had made it to the library doors when she finally heard the reluctant sigh and a not so quiet cuss word.

"Ally. Fine. Let's start with conjugations.

Ally smiled.

**_I was very discouraged by the no reviews but I am going to keep trying._**


	3. Define Normal

**Hey guys. Thank you for reviewing. I was going to quit if I didn't get anything. So thank you for saving my story!**

**Hope you enjoy!  
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><p><em>Ally returned to school two weeks after she woke up. Austin had gone to her every day in the hospital. He had brought her school work and learned the geotrig language just so he could help her not fall behind. They never spoke of the unspoken salutations. They simply were left guessing. _

_Does she feel the same way?_

_Did he mean what he said?_

_She opened the doors, Austin glued to her side. She was met with the sight of police officers standing at the door. She saw young airmen with their guns posted along the hallways. _

_She shook her head. _

_She had gone to school on a military base since last year. The fact that two guns got passed the gate probably scared the crap out of the head of the base. Ally felt the halls grow dead as she walked. Everyone turned to look at the girl who got shot. _

_Before this, Ally was a no name. She was simply known as someone you could get help from in math, or any subject for that matter. She was known by the way teachers would nod at her respectfully. _

_But now, Ally was Allyson Dawson, the girl who got shot. _

_She was Allyson Dawson, the one who Dallas brought back sanity for. _

_Allyson Dawson, the only victim of the schools worst moment. _

_Allyson Dawson, the girl who was Austin's friend. _

_Ally ducked her head. She had specific orders from her doctor not to do anything too physical and twisting her torso would probably result in internal bleeding. Austin had all of her doctor's note in his binder. He refused to leave home without it. _

_By the time they reached her locker, the whole halls was filled with eyes glued on Ally. She opened her locker and got her Health stuff out. She ignored everyone and held her head high as she walked to class. _

_Austin trailed behind her, trying to take her books seeing as she wasn't supposed to carry anything. _

_"Just leave me alone."_

_Austin rolled his eyes. "No." _

_Ally was getting sick of his constant worrying. She wanted things to go back to normal. Back to the way they were before the bullet hit her. _

_Ally strutted into her classroom, leaving Austin alone in the hall to go and get his English Materials. Ally sat in her usual assigned seat and left it alone. She felt done. Tired. _

_When the bell rang and her class was all seated, no one spoke. Everyone was waiting for Ally's next move. They didn't know whether to be normal or to sympathize. _

_Ally rolled her eyes and opened her health book, waiting for the lesson to start. _

_Ally's teacher stopped dead in her track when she saw Ally. Her mouth agape. _

_Even the authority are immature. "Just leave it be, guys. I am fine."_

(Line Break)

"Austin Monica Moon, if you don't sit you butt down right now I will kill you, so help me God."

It was a week before the end of the year finals. She had been tutoring Austin in Spanish for months now and he was still as fluent as a rock. That was broken. In the bottom of a lake. That has volcanic acid in it.

Austin got very quiet and sat down after she said that. "Sorry."

Ally couldn't figure out what had caused the transformation, but didn't want to jinx it. "Okay. Now, recite "Cultivo Una Rosa Blanca" but with the correct emotion this time.

Austin saluted her and started. "I have a white rose to tend, in June as in Jan-."

"I MEANT IN FUCKING SPANISH!"

Austin smirked at her. "How does one go about getting inside a Fucking Spanish?"

Ally closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. Months, No, years it felt like she had been doing this. They still didn't talk at school. They still didn't acknowledge each other unless on the bus.

Even then, it was awkward and forced when they debated about the validity of government decisions. Ally didn't think she could take it anymore.

"Austin, I'll tell you what. If you recite this poem in Spanish with correct pronunciation and enunciation I will tell Ms. Helricks you are ready for finals. That you don't need this tutoring anymore."

Austin's eyes lit up and Ally couldn't help but feel a little offended that he was so eager to get away from her. But she saw it coming. She had been interrupting his daily make-outs with what's her name.

And so he began, with the perfect pronunciation of a native speaker and the emotion that equaled Anne Shirley's.

_Jerk. He could do it the whole time, couldn't he?_

Austin finished with a flourish and a bow.

"Was that so hard? Did we really need to spend three days on that one piece?" Ally shook her head at him and started gathering her book. She had everything in her bag when she noticed Austin's look of confusion.

"Where are you going?"

Ally gave him her _don't mess with me right now_ look. "I said we were done. And unlike some people, I keep my word."

Austin's mouth slapped shut and he glared at her. She smiled as sweetly as she could before turning around and walking out of the library over the white carpet.

She was so done with him.

She made her way to Ms. Helricks' classroom and relayed her message. "Austin is done. He has improved greatly and is more than ready for his final."

Ms. Helricks' face changed from her happy-go-lucky one to that of sympathy. "Do you really believe that, Allyson?"

Ally nodded. Steady. Unafraid. Sure.

"Okay then."

Ally turned around and walked to the bathroom, rushing when she saw Austin running down the hall towards her. She made it inside just as he got to her. Ally was shaking by the time she made it to the large handicapped stall. She locked the stall door behind her and slid down the wall, crouching, and not breathing. She wasn't allowed to breathe in here.

All she could do was wait.

And wait.

And wait.

For something to happen.

Anything.

(Line Break)

It was finals week when something finally did happen. She had just finished her health final and went to meet December for the fifteen minute lunch when she ran smack dab into an out of breathe Austin, who was still latched onto… someone.

"For goodness sake, Austin. You're fifteen! You don't need to be doing this yet."

The minute the first word had left he mouth, Austin started struggling to release himself from the claws of today's female specimen.

Ally had walked away before he succeeded.

She had refused to talk to him, and him her. They had broken all contact during the long bus rides and, much to Trish's dismay, had started sitting at opposite ends of the bus. She hadn't even looked his way on his birthday week, a day the entire school seemed to celebrate. She would just walk down the other hallway, leaving every single robot teenager to worship their king.

Ever since the beginning of the year when his brother had brought the football team to state, he had been worshiped, being credited to have helped massively in his brother's achievement.

Ally thought the girls just wanted an excuse to jump his bones.

She made it to her locker and started the struggle of opening it. She put in the combo, jiggled the handle, hit her palm against the middle of the pane of metal, and the jiggled the handle again before finally it opened.

She had grown used to this process. She did it in under ten seconds now.

She pulled out her bruised apple and didn't even get to close her locker before the familiar lights flashed. Ally sighed and didn't even bother closing her lockers. She had been caught in so many of these this week. It seemed the school thought now was a prime time for another… incident. As the hall grew quiet, she felt eyes start to drift to her.

People always stared when she was caught in one of these, as if the expected her to throw herself on the ground and demand to be released early from these inspections. She grabbed a book and sat down next to her open locker. She hated opening her locker in front of the janitors and safety monitors because several asked her if that was part of her religious beliefs and the others asked if she was part of a gang when they saw her banging and jiggling her locker. It was just easier to open it before they got their or just not close.

She saw the safety monitor walking through the halls, no doubt taking attendance and names. Ally looked down at her book and took a bite out of her apple, the juice running down her chin causing her to have to lift her hand to wipe it away.

Ally rolled her eyes when the safety monitors eyes snapped to her and her miniscule motion.

She agreed that they need to take safety precautions, but even she, the only one who got shot, thought that this was way too far. People had missed the bus because of these inspections. Kids were becoming sick of it. Ally agreed.

She was sick of people acting like she was some fragile ceramic doll that had to be wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in a velvet lined box with perfect memory foam paddings. She was sick of going back and forth from precious diamond to dirty dishrag.

_SET THIS HOUSE IN ORDER- by Matt Ruff._ The book had been sitting of the shelf in her locker for months now and she had never gotten around to reading it. She opened the first page.

She had made it to the third paragraph by the time the monitor made it to her locker.

She stood up and grabbed her backpack, emptying out the contents. They were required to show everything, feminine product included. Girls quickly started storing the tampons and pads in their bras and became more and more comfortable going to the nurse.

She showed him her lock screen on her phone and contemplated telling him it was an invasion of her privacy. In the student handbook it stated that the school was permitted access to the students' lockers at any time. The rule had never been actively enforced until this year.

Ally couldn't wait until the school calmed down. She knew the seriousness of everything, but there was no telling what kind of new dress code rules there would be next year. Or the amount of changes in rules in general.

"Thank you Miss Dawson. Please wait here while we finish our inspection."

"Yes sir."

It was the same thing with every inspection and Ally was starting to consider starting a rebellion.

(Line Break)

"Do I look like am a fucking kidding? Get your lazy ass up and get out of here, damn it!"

Ally trudged outside and started walking to Decembers. It was just under seven miles and she could be there by dinner. She pulled out her phone and called December.

"Hey, can I stay the night. Psycho XY is rampaging again."

"Is he drunk?"

"Yup."

December sighed. "I'll meet you halfway."

Ally walked, her music blaring in her ears, her back pack and clothing for tomorrow hanging on her back. Tomorrow was the last day of school. Soon she would be free from the grasp of random safety inspections and advertising for Tampax.

Ally was not athletic. Not in the least. #1) her chest got in the way of any ability she might have retained from when she used to be a cross country runner and #2) she hated it.

But when you can her someone's motor cycle coming up behind you on a dead end street the only ends in a small biking path, it gives you some incentive to sprint away. She looked back briefly and recognized the driver immediately. And so she ran.

Sprinted, actually.

If it had been recorded, she probably would have won the Olympics. And several other awards.

She made to the end of the biking path, which was a good mile long, and made a sharp right. She jumped in the nearest recycle bin and stopped breathing. She heard the motorcycle some up off the path and heard a loud curse word before the engine noises slowly faded away. Her loud breath out echoed around the blue plastic.

She pushed up on the top and climbed out cautiously, looking both ways for any sign of him. When she looked to the right, she say December walking along with her phone in her hands. Ally sighed in relief. He wouldn't try anything if there was a witness around. Ally jumped out of the bin and fell flat on her but.

Once again, not to athletic.

She stood up and rubbed her butt to try and ease the pain away. She heard a snort and a giggle and glared up at December.

"I don't think it was very funny."

"Sorry."

(Line Break)

It had been Spanish and English. They had gone good. Ally was confident in her work, but felt ashamed and upset when she saw Austin running his hand through his hair all through it. He only did that when he was flustered or upset.

Ally was seriously questioning her teaching abilities by the end of the two hours.

December and her were going bowling after school and couldn't wait. They were going to celebrate their good vibes from the finals.

"I think you need to talk to him, Ally."

Ally rolled her eyes. December had been trying to get Ally to talk to Austin since she stopped… well, talking to him.

"I don't need him, and he obviously doesn't need me."

December was quiet.

They entered the Bowling Alley and Ally stopped dead in her track. December turned around with an evil smirk on her face.

"You knew, didn't you?"

"Maybe a little."

"I will kill you."

"Okay, but wait till after we bowl."

Ally walked up to the counter and got bowling shoes and a bowling ball that fit her fingers. They were given lane six.

"You knew, didn't you?"

"Maybe a little."

"I will kill you."

"Okay, but wait till after we bowl."

Ally walked up to the lane, shoes already on and started putting in the names and setting up.

"Ally!?"

Ally flinched when she heard a familiar girly scream. _It's fucking Cassidy. He is here with fucking Cassidy._

She turned around with a fake smile plastered on her face.

"Cassidy! I haven't seen you since we walked out the school! How have you been?!"

Cassidy's smile dropped. "You know, people might actually like you a little bit if you weren't so sarcastic all the time."

"And I suppose you mean you, am I correct."

Cassidy scoffed at Ally. "Whatever. I thought we were friends."

Ally smiled. "Oh, how cute. I am guessing you also think Austin isn't going to dump you tonight?" Ally had been waiting to teat into her. And now, the school year was over, so she could. "Think again."

They heard someone clear their throat. Ally looked over and saw Austin.

"Actually, I hope he doesn't. You two would make a great pair. December!" Ally called to her flabbergasted friend. "I don't feel like bowling. How does swimming sound?"

* * *

><p><strong>Do yall think this should take place in Alaska or Montana? These two places will have a big impact on the way the story goes. I need to know. (I prefer The idea of Alaska, but the might just be a biased opinion.<strong>

**_It's because Alaska is the best place on earth._**

**What? Who said that? Not me! No siree. No biasedness here. **

**_It's true. It's the best place! _**

**Shut up.  
><strong>


	4. If I were in a Volcano?

**WARNING: THERE ARE LIKE FOUR F-BOMBS IN HERE. SORRY!**

**Hey guys! Thanks so much for reading this below average work of mine. I was proud o this chapter in comparison to the others. There is a bit of Auslly. You'll soon find out more about the flashback, if yall want. **

**I have officially decided this WILL take place in Alaska, and if you are expecting a perfect depiction of what it is really like here... well, then screw you. I want it -70 so I'm gonna have it -70. **

**Deal with it. **

**Thanks yall! **

**As always, feel free to point out any booboos or improvements!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"Then what do you fucking care about!"<p>

Ally's mouth shut. Her scream silenced by the question. Her eyes became slits. "Definitely not you."

The sixteen year old spun on her heel on stormed out of the door into the frozen world outside. She hadn't grabbed a coat when she ran out the door and her sandal clad feet were already frozen. It had hit an all-time low of -70. It had never gotten that cold in her lifetime. Ally mentally counted to seven. So that meant she had about ten more seconds before she was as good as dead. She sprinted to the garage. Slamming the door behind her. She grabbed the nearest coat that might just let her make it to December's. She found her thick snow machining gloves and her beaver hat her mother had left for her.

She slammed it on her head and ran out the door, hoping to get a head start on her dad. He would take a machine, so that meant she needed to get to good wooded coverage in about thirty seconds. She sprinted, her lung burning from the cold. She had never experienced burning pain like she was now. She would feel her lung cells freezing and knew immediately she wouldn't make it all the way to December. She weighed her options. And, knowing it could be life or death with her minute gear, she turned right and ran as fast as she could to the Moon's house. They were her closest neighbor's. More than six miles closer than December's house. It was here best option.

She made it to their porch steps and hesitated. She hadn't talked to Austin since the end of freshman year. Sophomore year had been and gone without as much as a debate on the bus. He had a car now and had been driving himself to school since February of sophomore year. When he had turned sixteen.

She shook her head and took her first step on their porch, her hands shaking with the cold, shivers racking throughout her entire body. She had a brain-freeze. Everything on her body was frozen. She prayed he wasn't home and that his mom answered as she knocked on the door. She felt her eyes shut, her whole body had become numb. She leaned on the door, hoping it would be answered. She felt it open, and her whole body collapsed. She was hit with the warm air and passed out.

(Line Break)

Ally woke up sweating. She opened her eyes and saw a yellow wall. Ally froze.

This was soooo not December's house. Ally sat up and had to struggle with the weight on top of her. She made it to an upright position and couldn't help the confused smile when she saw two feet of blankets thickness on top of her.

The last thing she remembered was fall- oh gosh. She pulled her legs out of the blankets and stood, feeling dizzy. Glancing around the spinning room, she made out band posters and a big flat screen TV in the corner. She saw the door open and heard a gasp that sounded too familiar for her taste.

The room continued spinning as she tried to find her coat and hat so she could get to December's.

"Ally, sit down." She felt two strong hands help her sit after she decided that arguing was a bad idea in her state.

Ally sighed and laid back down, but opened her eyes to try and focus on the person pushing her down.

She saw blonde hair, but that didn't mean anything. She knew many blonde people.

In the back of her head, she knew exactly who it was, but she tried so hard to disappear anyway.

"I'm sorry! You looked cold so I went to get some more blankets! Are you okay? Oh, I shouldn't have left. I'm sorry!"

Ally's fear were confirmed when Austin's hysterics reached her ear. Her throbbing head ache flared when he spoke in his high pitched worrisome tones.

"Shhhhhh. You're being too loud." Ally closed her eyes. "And no. I was sweating. If you saved me from the cold, you are killing me with the heat. There is a reason I don't live in a hot place."

Austin seemed to have stopped breathing altogether for she couldn't hear anything from him. "Austin, you can breathe. That isn't going to bother my head."

She heard a loud exhale and couldn't help but chuckle. She didn't dare opened her eyes because as soon as she had closed them, the pain in her head lessened.

She started falling asleep again, and though she started breathing heavy and her mind was almost asleep again, she didn't miss the hand the reached out and grabbed hers, pulling it forward, or the lips and met her palm.

(Line Break)

Ally woke up, feeling all the more better. She was met with the same yellow walls only this time, her hand was pulled out and was resting on Austin's knee, entwined with his, which she discovered after further inspection of her captive hand.

He was asleep in a metal fold out chair with his neck bent backwards and his mouth hanging open, loud snores roaring from his nose. She shook her head and pulled her hand away. She got up from the bed a tried to ignore the pounding in her head and the gunk in her throat and left the room, regretting it immediately. She ran smack dab into Mimi, Austin's mom.

Mimi's eyes widened. "You're up! Oh, is Austin up, too?" Ally's eyes widened. "He couldn't sleep last night. He was in and out of the room, bringing fresh glasses of water and more and more blankets every time. Were you too hot? Oh! That boy, I tried to tell him!"

Mimi finally noticed Ally's scared expression, only one thing running through her mind. _They MUST have called my father._

"Are you okay, Ally? Sweetie? Is something wrong?"

Ally shook her head and opened her mouth but was cut off by feet sprinting out of Austin's room and a gasp of relief when she turned and looked at a baggy eyes Austin. "Oh my gosh. You ran away."

Ally blinked, not knowing what to say. On one hand, she wanted to remind him that they weren't really on speaking terms, on the other, she wanted to make fun of him about holding her hand.

"Austin, go to sleep in your bed. You didn't get restful sleep last night, being so upset about Ally." Austin blushed and glared at his mom. "Don't look at me like that! I pushed you out of me, I can say whatever the heck I want about you."

Austin closed his eyes and shook his head. "Mom, you can't use the fact that you gave birth to me against me forever."

Mimi narrowed her eyes at him. "Go give birth, and then see how it feels."

"Mom!"

"Your dad put you in there, he should have had to push you out."

"Mom!"

"All he had to do was enjoy himself. All he had to do was pollinate my lady flower. He didn't have to pull you back out."

"Mom, stop!"

Ally was laughing so hard she had to cross her legs to hold the pee in.

"And if you ever tell a woman that ANYTHING hurts like giving birth, I will personally tear you limb from limb."

Ally coughed after choking on her own spit.

"Mom, please, stop. I'm begging."

"Well, I begged you to stop when you were tearing my vagina. But you just HAD to come out."

"Mom! Too far!"

Mimi huffed at him and stomped off like a little kid, leaving Ally sliding down a wall because she needed support and couldn't breathe. Austin looked at her and flushed red again as if finally realizing that Ally had witnessed the whole exchange.

Austin grabbed her arm and hauled her up. She was thankful when he brought her to the bathroom and closed the door. Still laughing, she used the restroom. She went back to the room where Austin was so that she could go home and stopped dead when she saw him shifting the water glass around. She leaned against the door frame in amusement. He would shift the glass over an inch then sigh and turn it eighty degrees. But that wasn't right either, apparently. So he moved it over the corner closest to the headboard of his bed and stepped back, examining his work.

He stomped and moved the glass again.

Ally was starting to mentally list off the reasons he could be doing this. OCD made top of the list, but Ally never remembered Austin doing anything like this.

He jumped and fell back on the bed, tipping over the glass of water in the process.

"Hey, Ally. You scared me."

She smiled. "I didn't notice."

Austin stood back up and started wiping off imaginary dirt from his shirt.

Ally's headache was returning and she could fell her throat starting to gunk up again.

"Let's cut to the chase. I need to get home. Can I please get my coat?"

Austin coughed.

For the first time, she really noticed his eyes. They looked tired. His body was slumped. His hair greasy and sweaty, as if he had been hot and bothered all night. His hands her shaking slightly. He didn't look himself.

"Yeah. It's still really cold out, do you want a ride?"

Ally could feel the awkward radiating off of them.

"No, it's fine."

Austin nodded and walked to his closet, opening it and pulling out her things along with some boot. "Borrow these, don't want you to lose your toes."

Ally looked at the boots. They were bunny boots. Smart guy.

"Thank you, Austin. For everything."

Austin let out an unsteady breathe before his arms reached out and pulled her to his body, smashing her face into his chest. "Just don't ever do that again."

He was squeezing her so tightly she couldn't breathe, but she didn't dare pull away.

"I'll try not to."

Austin let go of her and turned his back immediately, messing with the many blankets on his bed. "It's not funny Ally, you could've died."

Ally lost the smiled on her face.

"Austin, I'm right here, calm down."

Austin started shaking. He snuffed his nose and nodded.

"I am going now, okay?"

He nodded once more. She left the room and didn't turn back when she heard the sound of a body falling on the bed, nor did she so much as glance back when she heard the first viscous sob ring out of the yellow room.

She had grown out of Austin.

It was time he did the same to her.

(Line Break)

Ally sat on December's bed, having just left the Moon's thirty or so minutes ago. It had warmed up almost fifty degrees, so it had been survivable walking weather.

She was reading. December mirroring her, both fully engrossed in their stories.

Ally hadn't told December what had happened. She was too scared of what she would say.

December is what you would call an innocent.

If you asked her where babies came from, she might just tell you the stork brought them.

However, December had been convinced since the first time she saw Austin and Ally together they were in love.

Sweet, innocent December.

Ally had tried to explain that they did have a connection to each other, but December didn't want to hear of friendship, let alone the breakage of it.

So, Ally was terrified that they would spend their last month together trying to decipher everything about Austin, from the hairs on his head, to the color of his room.

No, this was time for Ally and December to say goodbye.

December was moving in a month. She was going to Guam.

December was a military brat. They both knew this was coming. But they had both pretended it never would. She had lived here longer than anywhere ever before in her sixteen years of life.

Ally wasn't ready for December to leave.

December's family had been her escape. They had been her family. They had understood the non-understandable. They had read between the lines.

December was leaving and Ally was to be left with nothing. They sat on the bed, ready like they always did. But neither were actually reading.

They had been dreading this day since they met.

And it fucking sucked.

(Line Break)

Ally walked to her Calculus class, ponytail swinging from left to right. She observed the people in the hallways. People she had known since the tender age of four. People she had met last week. Everyone she knew. They were all talking to each other, having fun. Ally saw a familiar mop of blonde hair with tanned fingers running through it. Ally shook her head, but smiled anyway. At least she knew not everything was falling apart.

Ally made it to the doorway of her classroom but saw Cassidy. Ally couldn't do this right now.

She turned around and walked to the all too familiar bathroom.

She made it to her stall and locked the door. She slid down the wall.

And waited.

For anything.

Something.

Please?

(Line Break)

_Austin met her after health class and snatched her books from her hands. She didn't even object his time. She had gone through an entire class period of interrogation via passing notes. _

_What did they want to know? She had been shot for fucks sake. What else was there to tell?_

_"Ah yes, the tiles were blue and the grout looked old. I will be giving educational tours on how the toilet looks from the south side. Also, if needed, I will demonstrate how to properly sit on the toilet seat for maximum comfort."_

_Ally glared ahead of her and walked straight to her locker, slamming it before Austin could put her stuff inside. She stormed off, assuming Austin was putting her stuff away. _

_But then he didn't show up to Biology. Or Spanish. And then he wasn't there for lunch._

_Ally tried calling him, but couldn't get reception in the bathrooms and junior high kids weren't allowed to use their cell phones during school hours. _

_Ally got more and more worried as the day went, but planned to call as soon as she got home. _

_Little did she know that the damage was already done._

* * *

><p><strong>Tell me what you thought! Please!<strong>_  
><em>


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